Ideal Gaussmeter Readings

[tonedeciple]

Does anyone know of a resource that lists gaussmeter readings for different pickups? I'm hoping some one else has done the leg work and that I can use their efforts as a starting point for magnetizing my own pickup magnets. Having such a resource would save a lot of time in terms of trial and error.

[Possum]

...

Most vintage humbucker magnets read about 550 guass and even lower. Vintage strat pickups around 950 gauss. Vintage tele bridges around 800-900. But these are generalities and there are always exceptions and you can't really go by this. What you need to do it TRY various charges and see what appeals to you. Vintage magnets are a bit different anyway...

[RedHouse]

Seems like David should be adding this kind of stuff to his "Pickup Makers FAQ" sticky at the top of the page. The forum as repeatedly recited the average DCR of commonly used pickups and now Gauss is comming up more and more often.

I still wish this forum could have meta's like ProdigyPro does, makes info organization and navigation much easier.

[kevinT]

Does anyone know of a resource that lists gaussmeter readings for different pickups? I'm hoping some one else has done the leg work and that I can use their efforts as a starting point for magnetizing my own pickup magnets. Having such a resource would save a lot of time in terms of trial and error.

This is going to be tough. If you've ever measured a humbucker mag, the readings will fluctuate as you move the meter's sensor along the magnet. I've noticed that you have to take multiple readings because the reading will be different each time because it will generally display the highest gauss level that it picked up along the pole for that particular measurment.

Different batches of the same type (e.g., A5) magnets and from different manufacturers will be somewhat different in strength and their abililty to hold a charge.

For the old PAFs, you would have to know what type of mag was used before any readings make sense. Gibson used a varieity of magnet grades as everyone knows.

[Dave Kerr]

Seems like David should be adding this kind of stuff to his "Pickup Makers FAQ" sticky at the top of the page. The forum as repeatedly recited the average DCR of commonly used pickups and now Gauss is comming up more and more often.

I still wish this forum could have meta's like ProdigyPro does, makes info organization and navigation much easier.

Or some enterprising member could put up a table formatted similarly to this:
Specifications - Pickupedia

[Joe Gwinn]

This may not be as helpful as hoped. Try the following experiment:

Put the magnet in a drill-press vice arranged so the length of the magnetic path varies as one opens and closes the jaws. Measure gauss at the magnet face as you vary the jaw opening. It's best to tape the sensor to the magnet face, so one source of variation is reduced.

Which measurement is correct? What do we mean by "correct"?

[RedHouse]

Or some enterprising member could put up a table formatted similarly to this:
Specifications - Pickupedia

Sure, maybe one could add a column to that table. IMHO it should still be here on our forum in the form of a sticky though.

[Edit] never mind, I see it's actually from our very own Doc.

[Possum]

....

On bucker mags I read dead center in the middle of length and move it around in that spot and take the highest reading. You also have to be careful to have the probe in the center of the thickness, if you have the probe more on the right angle edge it will be higher there. PAF magnets don't always fall into any specific grade...

[Mike Sulzer]

I think "correct" is measuring the field with the magnet in the pickup, and the measurements should be made 3/32" above each pole piece. That is the field that magnetizes the string.

The Hall effect sensors I bought saturate if you put them against an Alnico humbucker magnet, but they give a good measurement above the pole pieces.

This may not be as helpful as hoped. Try the following experiment:

Put the magnet in a drill-press vice arranged so the length of the magnetic path varies as one opens and closes the jaws. Measure gauss at the magnet face as you vary the jaw opening. It's best to tape the sensor to the magnet face, so one source of variation is reduced.

Which measurement is correct? What do we mean by "correct"?

[salvarsan]

The Hall effect sensors I bought saturate if you put them against an Alnico humbucker magnet, but they give a good measurement above the pole pieces.

Which sensor are you using?



-drh

[Possum]

...

the commercial guassmeters read very high guass readings so there's no problem there. Its lot easier to read straight off the magnet than try to read off poles in a pickup. And there's the problem that magnets in a strat pickup interact with eachother making the end poles pump out more gauss than they would by themselves. Even in a humbucker with all same hieght pole screws they all read different amounts. In a single coil Fender type they act in a way like a single magnet and the edges of a magnet always read higher than right on top or side of the poles, so the end magnets read higher than they will out of the pickup. I think Duncan or someone I read about who uses the spring magnetometers puts a shim on the probe to read it at string height, but those meters are useless for scientifically accurate digital readouts and they are limited strength measurements too. If you were trying to read gauss at string height in a guitar you got the strings in the way and they are interacting and magnetized by the poles. Its just easier to measure directly off the magnet, especially if you're degaussing to lower than full charge, nothing to interfere with the readings.

[tonedeciple]

And there's the problem that magnets in a strat pickup interact with eachother making the end poles pump out more gauss than they would by themselves.

This makes me wonder about what effect, if any, there might be when you mix magnets in a guitar. For example would a humbucker with a ceramic magnet in the bridge position slightly degauss an alnico V humbucker in the neck position?

[Mike Sulzer]

Which sensor are you using?



-drh

Allegro A1322LUA

[Mike Sulzer]

The fact that the end alnico magnets read higher is no reason not to make the measurements. Measuring with the strings in place is not something I would normally do, but they seem to bend out of the way with no problem.

As for partially degaussed magnets, I think you are more likely to get consistent results measuring the pole pieces with the magnet in place.

the commercial guassmeters read very high guass readings so there's no problem there. Its lot easier to read straight off the magnet than try to read off poles in a pickup. And there's the problem that magnets in a strat pickup interact with eachother making the end poles pump out more gauss than they would by themselves. Even in a humbucker with all same hieght pole screws they all read different amounts. In a single coil Fender type they act in a way like a single magnet and the edges of a magnet always read higher than right on top or side of the poles, so the end magnets read higher than they will out of the pickup. I think Duncan or someone I read about who uses the spring magnetometers puts a shim on the probe to read it at string height, but those meters are useless for scientifically accurate digital readouts and they are limited strength measurements too. If you were trying to read gauss at string height in a guitar you got the strings in the way and they are interacting and magnetized by the poles. Its just easier to measure directly off the magnet, especially if you're degaussing to lower than full charge, nothing to interfere with the readings.

[Possum]

...

When I degauss magnets yes I degauss the whole pickup as a unit for single coils, with buckers I just do the magnet by itself.

No a ceramic in bridge won't affect an alnico in the neck, its too far away, and the strings don't hold much charge that could do anything. If you did use a ceramic magnet and say an alnico 3 together in a P90 where the poles are opposing eachother, it might happen there but you'd have to experiment to find out.